Battery-end-cell switch-indicator.



' No. 090,800. vPatented 1an. 7,1902. A. c. wALTHEn.

.BATTERY END CELL SWITGH INDICATOR.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1901.)

(Ilo Modal.)

Eval

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ARTHURO.` WALTHER, on BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BATTERY-END-CELL' swlroH-INDum-ro1R'.`

sPEcIrIcA'rIoN fermig part ef Lettere Patent Ne.- 690,800, dated January7, 1902.

Application filed April 19, 1901. Serial No. 56,561. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known thatl I, ARTHURC. WALTHER,

- a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Brooklyn, in the lcounty ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Battery- End Cell Switch-Indicators; and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which itappertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the iigures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to battery-end-cell switch-indicators, an d isdesigned particularly for use with storage batteries. e

The object of my invention is tol produce an apparatus which may belocated remote from the battery-for example, in the engine and dynamoroom-that willshow' at a glance to the engineer or attendant theposition of the switch which delivers the battery-current to or from themain or lead wires with respect to a number of end cells Vof separateseries of cells constituting the secondary-battery installation. AVpracticable method of accomplishing this result is to provide in aprominent situation in the engine-room a row of incandescent lampscorresponding in number to the endcells fof the series or batteries ofcells and to furnish the main or battery switch with attachments which,coming into contact with adjacent devices one after another as thebattery-switch moves, will complete auxiliary or local circuits, one foreach lindicator-lamp, causing the lamps to light up successively as eachend cell is reached by the battery-switch. On numbering the lamps as theend cells are numbered the engineer understands that series or batteryof cells to be charging or discharging to which the particular lampalight in the row of lamps relates. When, however, there are as many astwenty end cells, and it is desired to exhibit the position of theswitch by means of a lampindicator, the row of lamps becomes too longand occupies too much space and is, furthermore, not soquickly read as asmaller number of lamps. A ten-,lamp indicator is very convenient andreadable in size; and the ob- -ject of myinvention is t0 assemblemeansfor indicating by the use of ten lamps-On which one of the twentyend cellsvthe v battery-switch may be at any time. 4I `accomplish this0bject by sending the indicator-current to each lamp in one position ofthe switch through a suitable resistance, 'whereupon the lamp glowsfeebly, and in the .next position of the switch directly `to the lampwithout the resistance, causing full light. Thus each lamp may indicatetwo positions, usually next each other, of the battery-switch. Eachconstituent element of my invention is described in detailland itsindividual oiiice,

together with the mode of operation of the whole, fully explainedhereinbelow. Figure 1 of theaccompanying drawings is a front and partlydiagrammatic view of my invention, and Fig. 2 visa side view of the kneeand attachments.

Like numbers mark like parts throughout.

Y Considering the drawings, numeral 1 designatos a case of any selectedmaterial, usually rectangular in form and adapted to be attached to thelswitchboard or engine-room e walls. The case ordinarily possesses ahinged and glazed door 2, through which the lamps 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, ll, and 12 appear. are ten'lamps shown.

source'of the indicator-current, whatever that source may be, and fromthis conductor the wires 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20,21, 22, and 23extend to the lamps, as shown, and the wires 24, 25, 26, 27,28, 29, 30,31, 32, and 33 lead from the lamps. These two sets of wires form locallamp-circuits.

Number 34 marks a bar of wood or other nonfconducting substancesupported by the back board 35 of the box 36, containing the end cells.

The battery-switch is marked 37, and it may be moved along from oneposition to another by the longitudinal threaded rod 38, engaging a nut39 under the switch. Any form ofl laterally-movable battery-switch andaotuat ing mechanism may bevused with my invention. f

At intervals along bar 34 are embedded the There 8o Number 13 marks theconductor from the f IOO twenty contact-plates, of which the iirst fourare referred to in this description and numbered 40, 4l, 42, and 43.

Upon the upper surface of the switch will be noted the metal knee 44, alayer of insulation 45 separating it from actual contact with theswitch. Screws 44a, engaging slots 44h, cut lengthwise through thehorizontal portion of knee 44, permita slight forward or backwardadjustment of the knee upon the battery-switch. Abouttheupwardly-extending leg of knee 44 is secured a sleeve 46, having arearwardly-located brush or spring 46f. (See Fig. 2.) This brush meetsthe contactplates 40, 4l, 42, 43, and the remaining six teen of them oneafter the other as the switch is moved along to the right.y It iscustomary to place the twenty contact-plates directly above the twentyend-cell plates or contacts for the battery-switch. Switch 37 is shownon cell-contact 47, which is the second from the left, and forpurposesof this description I have numbered the next two cell-plates 48and 49.

ln Fig. l it will be observed that the wires 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30,31, 32, and 33 from the lamps run directly to the second, fourth, sixth,eighth, tenth, twelfth, fourteenth, sixteenth, eighteenth, and twentiethcontactplates embedded in the bar 34 and that near the bar each of thosewires is provided with a branch. Numbers 50, 5l, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57,58, and 59 mark the branch wires, and numbers 60, 6l, 62, 63, 64, 65,66, 67, 68, and 69 refer to resistance-coils included in the branches.For coils I may substitute lamps, which are in this situation equivalentto resistance-wires. The branch wires are connected in numerical orderwith the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, eleventh, thirteenth,fifteenth, seventeenth, and nineteenth contactplates embedded in bar 34.

Immediately below the bar 34 there is xed a conducting-strip 70, and thebrush 46 is constantlyin contactwith the strip. At the right a wire 71leads to ground or returns to the source of the indicator-current tocomplete the circuit. It is believed to be clear, therefore, that withthe switch in the position shown and the brush electrically joining thesecond contact-plate 4l of the bar 34 and the strip the full currentpasses to the irst lamp on the left, designated by num ber 3. If theswitch were moved back to the first end cell and the brush consequentlycaused to connect the first contact-plate 40 and thelongitudinal strip70, the first indicator-lain p 3 would glow with only partial light. Theengineer, understanding the arrangement, would learn thus that the iirstend cell was engaged by the batteryswitch and on observing full light inthe first lamp 3 that the second end cell was in circuit. Similarly, ifthe second lamp 4 of the indicator glows feebly it follows that thesecond resistance 6l must be included in the indicator-circuit and thatthe battery-switch is upon end cell 48-that is, the third cell. Fulllight of second lamp 4 informs the observer that the fourth end cell hasbeen reached by the battery-switch. The remaining connections mentionedproduce corresponding effects upon the balance of the row of lamps asswitch 37 travels to the right.

Havingv thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United-States, is-

1. In an indicator, the combination of indicator-lamps, anindicator-circuit and local lamp-circuits extending therefrom to eachlamp, a movable body adapted to be brought into a plurality ofconsecutive positions, and devices constructed and arranged to close theindicator-circuit through the local lamp-circuits successively and toreduce the light proceeding from each lamp as the said movable bodyreaches certain of itspredetermined positions and to permit fulllamplight at the remaining positions of the said body.

2. In an indicator of the character described, the combination of anindicatorlamp,an indicator-circuit, alocal lamp-circuit extending fromthe said indicator circuit through the lamp and having one end dividedinto two branches, a resistance included in one of the said branches, amovable batteryswitch and devices actuated by the movement of the switchwhereby the indicator-circuit is completed through the lamp by way ofsaid branches one after another including and excluding the saidresistance, substantially as described.

3. In an indicator, the combination of an indicator-lamp, anindicator-circuit, a local lamp-circuit derived from the saidindicatorcircuit, a movable body adapted to be brought into differentpositions, a resistance, and means actuated and governed by the movablebody whereby the said resistance may be included in circuit with thelamp at one position of the said movable body and cut out at anotherposition, substantially as described.

4. In a battery-end-cell switchindicator,the combination of theindicator-lamps, an indicater-circuit and local lamp-circuits extendingtherefrom through each lamp, the said local lamp-circuits having each aterminal portion divided into two branches, resistances included in oneof the branches of each local lamp-circuit, a movable battery-switch,and devices actuated by the movement of the said battery-switch wherebythe indicator-circuit is completed through the said branches of thelocal lamp-circuits one after another in correspondence withpredetermined positions successively attained by the switch,substantially as described.

5. In abattery-end-cell switch-indicator,the combination of theindicator-lamps, an indi- Gator-circuit and local lamp-circuitsextending therefrom through each lamp, the said 1ocal lamp-circuitshaving each a terminal portion divided into two branches, suitably-sup-IOO IIO

lported contact-plates connected with the said joining them electricallyone after another to lo branches, resistances included in one branch thesaid vconductor-strip, substantially as deof each of the said locallamplcircuits, a movscribed. Y able battery-switch, a knee secured uponand In testimony whereof I afx my signature 5 insulated from the saidswitch, a conductingin presence of two witnesses.

brush borne by the knee7 a conductor-strip ARTHUR C. W'ALTHER. in thesaid indicator-circuit arranged to be Witnesses: constantly in contactwith the said brush, the STANLEY COOKE,

brush meeting the said contact-plates and A ELIZABETH S. DAY.

